Windows File Foundation (WinFS) previewed

Paul Thurrott is pretty quick to deliver a preview on WinFS as Microsoft has just released the first beta version of this next-generation data storage engine three days ago.

So what is WinFS Beta 1? According to Tom Rizzo, the director of SQL Server product management, the focus hasn't changed. "We're building a rich relational file system for Windows," he told me. "With WinFS, we will provide rich new ways to organize and visualize data. And as a final piece, it's a platform. It's not just for end users: Developers can extend WinFS, integrate their applications with WinFS, synchronize data between their applications and private databases and WinFS, and build support for their own data types into WinFS, using full-featured, managed code APIs [application programming interfaces]."